Amarillo business leader dies at age 96

Posted: Thursday, November 08, 2001

Farris C. Oden, a longtime resident and business leader of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001. He was 96.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Polk Street United Methodist Church with Dr. James E. Garrett, senior minister, officiating. Private family burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. After the memorial service, the family will receive friends in the parlor at the church.

Mr. Oden was born in Amity, Ark., graduated from high school at Chickasha, Okla., and attended the University of Oklahoma at Norman, Okla. Mr. Oden married Dorothy Helen McCown on Nov. 5, 1927, in Norman.

While in the general insurance business in Altus, Okla., a bank failure made him look west for business activity. He and his wife moved from Altus to Borger in 1930 where he joined Panhandle Insurance Agency. They moved to the Pampa branch of that insurance agency. He was associated with the O'Keefe financial group for the rest of his business career.

He served on the board of directors of Southwestern Investment Co. and Security Federal Savings and Loan Association.

Mr. Oden served as mayor of Pampa from 1944 to 1948. In 1952, he became president of Western National Life Insurance Co. in Amarillo developing the company from an industrial premium company to a full-service life insurance company as a subsidiary of Southwestern Investment Co. He retired as chairman of Western National life in 1978. Western National Life was later acquired by American General Annuity and Life Insurance Co.

He was president of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce in 1969. He was a Rotarian for 66 years at Pampa Rotary Club, of which he was president in 1936, and from 1952 to 1999 with the Rotary Club of Amarillo. He was an honorary Rotarian at his death. He served as District Governor of Rotary International District 5370 in 1974-75.

Mr. Oden was a life-long Methodist, serving in leadership capacities at First Methodist Church, Pampa, and Polk Street United Methodist in Amarillo. He served on the board of trustees of McMurry University and was active in fund-raising and endowment of the university.

Mr. Oden's civic work included service on the board of directors, campaign chairman, and president of United Way of Amarillo; board of directors and executive committee of Llano Estacado Council of Boy Scouts; YMCA board; and as president of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award for his service to the Boy Scouts.

He was preceded in death by his wife on Sept. 7, 2000.

He is survived by four children, Bob Oden of Forgan, Okla., Richard L. Oden of Minneapolis, Jon T. Oden of Amarillo and Rebecca O. Weatherall of Houston; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.